Hybrid Bill Procedures

Lord Berkeley: asked the Leader of the House:
	Whether she will propose any changes to hybrid Bill procedures to ensure full compatibility with European Union Directives 85/337/EC, 97/11/EC and 2003/35/EC on Environmental Impact Assessments.

Baroness Amos: Hybrid Bills are subject to the Standing Orders relating to private business. Under SO 27A, Environmental Statements (compliant with Part II of Schedule 4 to the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999) are required to be deposited for projects which would otherwise require an environmental impact assessment. Therefore, I do not intend to propose changes to hybrid Bill procedures.

Sports Committee

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In relation to the proposed Sports Cabinet Committee:
	(a) which government departments will be represented;
	(b) how often the committee will meet and report;
	(c) whether the committee will have influence over sports policy on a United Kingdom-wide basis or for England only; and
	(d) when the committee will be established and fully functional.

Baroness Amos: There is not a Cabinet committee on Sport but the Government recognise the importance of the sports agenda, which will be taken forward by the Domestic Affairs Committee, or by the Domestic Affairs Sub-Committee on Public Health, depending on the context of the issue under discussion.

House of Lords: Composition

Lord Norton of Louth: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 6 April (WA 113), how many of the defeats suffered by the Government in the House of Lords in the last Parliament would have taken place without the votes of Liberal Democrat Peers; and whether they now regard Liberal Democrat Peers as forming part of a "Conservative majority" in the House of Lords.

Baroness Amos: The Government are not responsible for the analysis of Division lists. However, the information is available on the House of Lords intranet at holintranet/HoLDivisionsAnalysis where analysis by party affiliation is provided from 1998.

Asylum Claims: Convictions

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many asylum applicants have been convicted for having no travel documents since September 2004; how many of those have received custodial sentences; and whether, in such circumstances, penalties of any kind constitute a breach of Article 31 of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Between 22 September 2004 and the close of the courts on 14 May 2005 there have been 218 convictions under Section two of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004. These figures are obtained from locally collated management information and may be subject to change.
	The Government's position is that this does not constitute a breach of Article 31 of the 1951 Refugee Convention. Section 31 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 is Parliament's interpretation of what Article 31 of the convention requires. The section sets out the circumstances in which a refugee has a defence (based on Article 31 of the convention) to a charge for certain specified offences. The offence contained in Section two (1) of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 is not included in the list of offences covered by Section 31 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

Asylum Seekers: Application Outcomes

Viscount Waverley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	For each of the past five years and by country of origin, what is:
	(a) the number of approved asylum seekers;
	(b) the number of refusals before any appeal process; and
	(c) the number of refusals after any final appeal process.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The tables below show persons granted asylum at initial decision by nationality 2000 to 2004, refusals of asylum, exceptional leave to remain, humanitarian protection and discretionary leave by nationality 2000 to 2004, and dismissed asylum appeals which are refusals upheld by Immigration Appellate Authority adjudicators on adjudicator appeals, by nationality, 2001 to 2004. (Data on appeal outcomes by nationality are derived from Immigration and Nationality Directorate electronic sources which were unavailable prior to 2001). Further appeal outcomes are unavailable by nationality. Appeal outcomes do not necessarily relate to initial decisions made in the same period.
	Information on asylum applications is published quarterly. The next publication covering the second quarter of 2005 will be available in August 2005 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	
		Dismissed asylum appeals determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority, excluding dependants, by nationality, 2001–2004
		
			 Nationality Number of principal appellants
			  2001 2002 2003 2004 
			 Albania 930 955 885 300 
			 Czech Republic 720 825 595 60 
			 Macedonia 80 390 180 55 
			 Moldova n/a 245 335 75 
			 Poland 625 800 545 85 
			 Romania 695 670 645 170 
			 Russia 345 320 355 210 
			 Serbia and Montenegro 7,670 4,375 4,475 1,520 
			 Turkey 1,295 4,070 3,880 2,680 
			 Ukraine 545 420 415 135 
			 Other Former USSR 1,410 1,040 1,175 580 
			 Other Former Yugoslavia n/a 205 260 100 
			 Europe Other 225 365 250 80 
			 Europe Total 14,535 14,690 13,990 6,050 
			 Colombia 465 465 475 230 
			 Ecuador 255 305 375 110 
			 Jamaica 100 320 875 425 
			 Americas Other 100 115 170 110 
			 Americas Total 920 1,205 1,895 875 
			 Iran 1,155 2,210 3,255 3,305 
			 Iraq 1,065 2,970 4,435 6,250 
			 Middle East Other 360 525 1,380 1,615 
			 Middle East Total 2,580 5,705 9,070 11,170 
			 Algeria 960 1,190 1,255 760 
			 Angola 140 365 690 645 
			 Burundi 140 230 500 395 
			 Cameroon n/a 315 540 405 
			 Congo 150 405 445 345 
			 Dem Rep of Congo 440 1,035 1,915 1,585 
			 Eritrea 145 390 960 605 
			 Ethiopia 140 340 680 585 
			 Gambia 20 35 100 110 
			 Ghana 125 175 285 290 
			 Ivory Coast 120 245 450 275 
			 Kenya 375 430 480 270 
			 Liberia n/a 40 345 555 
			 Nigeria 400 790 915 905 
			 Rwanda 95 185 465 295 
			 Sierra Leone 90 870 930 475 
			 Somalia 415 1,570 2,960 2,240 
			 Sudan 125 240 470 645 
			 Tanzania 40 50 60 40 
			 Uganda 350 570 680 490 
			 Zimbabwe 815 1,370 2,745 2,655 
			 Africa Other 300 425 820 845 
			 Africa Total 5,370 11,270 18,685 15,400 
			 Afghanistan 260 1,235 4,415 2,595 
			 Bangladesh 465 505 575 185 
			 China 2,825 2,395 2,550 2,120 
			 India 1,180 1,580 1,635 1,040 
			 Pakistan 1,725 2,150 2,240 2,040 
			 Sri Lanka 2,900 4,880 4,730 1,400 
			 Vietnam n/a 250 760 540 
			 Far East Other 450 910 1,010 640 
			 Far East Total 9,805 13,900 17,920 10,555 
			 Nationality not known 30 95 80 45 
		
	
	1 Provisional figures rounded to nearest 5, ";*" with = 1 or 2. Figures may not add up due to independent rounding.
	Data on appeal outcomes by nationality in this table are derived from Immigration and Nationality Directorate electronic sources.
	Data on appeal outcomes in total are derived from manual counts which contain slightly more records.

Asylum and Immigration: Economic Migrants

Viscount Waverley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many long-term economic migrants are required by employers to fill positions in:
	(a) the public sector; and
	(b) the private sector; and
	How many short-term economic migrants are required by employers to fill positions in:
	(a) the public sector; and
	(b) the private sector.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: In a flexible and dynamic labour market such as that of the UK, it is impractical to make forecasts of this nature. As set out in the Home Office five-year strategy for asylum and immigration, the Government encourage migration for work through a flexible points based system that is employer-led and responsive to market needs, rather than a rigid and arbitrary quota.

Asylum Claims: Bangladesh

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they have taken to implement the judgment in the case between the Queen on the application of Zakir Husan and the Secretary of State for the Home Department (case number CO/6499/03), in which it was declared that a serious risk of persecution exists in Bangladesh, and that therefore Section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 should not apply to citizens of Bangladesh.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: On 1 April 2005 an order was laid removing Bangladesh from the list of countries designated under Section 94 of the Nationality Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. This order came into force on 22 April 2005.
	As provided for under Section 94 of the Act we continue to consider on a case-by-case basis whether it is appropriate to certify asylum claims, including claims from residents of Bangladesh, as clearly unfounded. Where this is appropriate such claims are certified.

Standards Board for England: Adjudication

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many (a) prosecutions, and (b) convictions have resulted from the activities of Local Government Standards Board.

Baroness Andrews: Investigations by ethical standards officers of the Standards Board for England do not lead to prosecution or conviction by the courts. Where, following an investigation, the ethical standards officer considers that the code of conduct for local government members has been breached in a particular case, it is open to him either to refer the case to the adjudication panel for England or to the local standards committee, for determination. Ethical standards officers have referred 217 cases for determination by the adjudication panel, and in 97 per cent of cases the panel upheld the view of the ethical standards officers. In addition 91 cases have so far been referred to local standards committees for determination, and in 93 per cent of these cases committees upheld the view of the ethical standards officers.

Carers: Housing Accommodation

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in cases where an elderly couple need full-time care by a relative who is not living in the same household, local authority has the right to ask a registered social landlord to provide accommodation suitable for the elderly couple and the carer.

Baroness Andrews: The Government advise that, when offering accommodation to an applicant who receives support from a carer who does not live with them, local authorities should take into account the fact that the household may need a spare bedroom 1 .
	Where a local authority determines an applicant's housing needs as including accommodation for a carer, the authority may nominate (i.e. refer) the applicant to an appropriate vacancy in registered social landlord (RSL) accommodation.
	An RSL must co-operate with a local authority in offering accommodation to people with priority under the authority's allocation scheme, where the local authority so requests, and to such an extent as is reasonable in the circumstances. Whether the RSL accepts the nomination will depend on the terms of the nomination agreement with the local authority and the circumstances of the individual case, including the suitability of the accommodation to meet the household's needs.
	1 Paragraph 5.37 of the code of guidance for local housing authorities on the allocation of accommodation. November 2002.

Planning: Retrospective Applications

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the number of retrospective planning applications granted by local authorities or allowed on appeal, for developments which did not conform to local development plan.

Baroness Andrews: No such assessment has been made. In March 2002 the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions published the results of research which showed that just over 3 per cent of all applications for planning permission were applied for retrospectively. The success rate for retrospective applications was 85 per cent as against 88 per cent. overall. In the case of major development it was 76 per cent for retrospective applications and 87 per cent. for normal applications.

Living Spaces Programme

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What their plans are for the future of Living Spaces programme.

Baroness Andrews: Living Spaces was set up as an innovative approach to helping communities make tangible and lasting changes to their local environment. Living Spaces is a three year programme with funding due to end in 2005–06. Due to the large demand from community groups for support from Living Spaces, funding for the programme has been exhausted and, therefore, there are currently no plans to re-open the scheme for fresh applications or extend the scheme.
	The lessons learnt from the success of Living Spaces will help to inform future policies and programmes that seek to involve local people in improving the quality of their local communities.

Domestic Violence: Legal Aid

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ensure that legal aid is always available to persons of limited means who have suffered domestic violence; and whether they provide easily accessible information about such help to those who need it.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Protecting the vulnerable is a key focus for the Lord Chancellor and domestic violence proceedings are a priority area for legal aid funding. The Legal Services Commission's (LSC's) funding code criteria for domestic violence cases are wider than for most other family and non-family areas; they are not limited to any specific definition of domestic violence or abuse. Persons of limited means will be funded in all but the most exceptional of circumstances. Following the department's consultation A New Focus on Civil Legal Aid, provision was made for the LSC to waive the upper monthly disposable income limit for legal representation in specified domestic violence proceedings.
	Advice can be accessed through Community Legal Service (CLS) solicitors, Citizens Advice Bureaux and other advice providers. An LSC leaflet Domestic Violence, Abuse and Harassment is available from solicitors, courts and advice and support agencies and a family legal helpline will be piloted later this year. The LSC funds community projects providing advice, legal and practical help on domestic violence.

Northern Ireland: Smoking Controls

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to ban smoking in places of entertainment and in places where food is prepared or consumed in Northern Ireland.

Lord Rooker: The Department of Health, Social Services and Pubic Safety received over 70,000 responses to a recent consultation exercise on strengthening existing controls on smoking in enclosed public places and in workplaces. Ministers are considering a detailed analysis of the outcome and an announcement about the way forward will be made as soon as possible.

Northern Ireland: Bank of Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are making arrangements to require health trusts in Northern Ireland which currently bank with the Bank of Ireland to place their contracts out for renewal.

Lord Rooker: All 19 health and social services trusts currently bank with the Bank of Ireland. This contract is due for renewal on 1 September 2005, although there is an option to extend it for a further two years.
	The decision on whether to renew the contract will be made in consultation with the health and social services trusts.

Carbon Abatement Technologies Strategy

Lord Mason of Barnsley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the context of their carbon abatement technology strategy, to what extent the fluidised bed experiments carried out at Grimethorpe in South Yorkshire have been under consideration.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The carbon abatement technologies (CAT) strategy for fossil fuel power generation, which we plan to publish in the next few weeks, aims to encourage the development of carbon reduction technologies. The strategy does not identify specific technologies for reducing carbon emissions as industry is best placed to select these to meet environmental requirements and the needs of the market. Pressurised fluidised bed combustion (PFBC) is seen as a high efficiency power generation technology that offers significant environmental benefits and the capability to burn a wide range of fuels including coal/waste and coal/biomass mixtures. PFBC is therefore considered to be a feasible technology among other technologies for contributing to the objectives of the CAT strategy.

Fluidised Bed Combustion

Lord Mason of Barnsley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the development of fluidised bed combustion started by Leatherhead research establishments in the 1970s has been abandoned; or whether it is being undertaken elsewhere.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Work at Leatherhead was focused on the deep-bed pressurised variant of fluidised bed combustion technology. Its successful laboratory testing resulted in the construction and operation of a 20 megawatt (electric) pilot plant at Grimethorpe in Yorkshire from the late 1970s to 1995–96 after which the site was closed.

Offshore Petroleum Activities Regulations

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the maximum time which the Secretary of State may take to consider representations made to him under Regulation 7(5)(b) of the Offshore Petroleum Activities (Oil Pollution Prevention and Control) Regulations 2005.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The maximum amount of time in which the Secretary of State may receive representations is 14 days which commence on the date of the notice given by the Secretary of State under Regulation 7(3).

Electronic Compatibility Regulations

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the definition of "intolerable" in Regulation 3(2)(a) of the Electronic Compatibility Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/281).

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Electromagnetic compatibility is achieved by a combination of limiting emissions (electromagnetic disturbance) from apparatus and requiring apparatus to have sufficient immunity to electromagnetic disturbance. All electrical and electronic apparatus produce emissions to some extent. Provided these emissions are contained below the level at which other apparatus can operate as intended, recognising its own required immunity, intolerable electromagnetic disturbance is avoided. The acceptable levels of emissions are defined in harmonised European standards covering different types of apparatus.

Electronic Compatibility Regulations

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why a nuclear electromagnetic pulse is not regarded as electromagnetic disturbance in Regulation 4(4) of the Electronic Compatibility Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/281).

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Sophisticated and expensive techniques are required to protect apparatus against the intensity of a nuclear electromagnetic pulse (NEMP) created by a nuclear explosion. Such techniques are only required for apparatus that has to function during and after an NEMP. The techniques are not relevant for apparatus intended to be used in residential, commercial and industrial environments. Accordingly, requirements for apparatus to be immune to a NEMP are excluded from the Electromagnetic Regulations 2005.

NHS: National Programme for Information Technology

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the National Health Service's national programme for information technology is currently on schedule; and, if not, what are the nature and cause of any delays; and
	Whether the patient administration system within the National Health Service's national programme for information technology is on schedule; and, if not, what are the nature and cause of any delays.

Lord Warner: Through the national programme for information technology (NPfIT) the Department of Health is delivering systems to revolutionise the way the National Health Service delivers care, and the experience of patients. NPfIT is being implemented by national application service providers, responsible for purchasing and integrating IT systems common to all users nationally; and by local service providers, responsible for supplying and integrating services and systems, such as patient administration systems, to perform functions in the local setting and to interface with the national system.
	While much has already been put in place, we are now seeing considerable acceleration in the scale of deployment of technology across the service. During 2005 increasing numbers of patients will be able to book their hospital appointments electronically. The first electronic prescriptions were issued in February 2005, with numbers set to rise significantly over the coming months. More than 6,000 NHS sites have been connected to the new national network (N3), giving fast and reliable broadband access to over 300,000 users. The first NPfIT-delivered picture archiving and communications systems went live earlier this year, and over 120,000 users are now registered with "contact", the secure e-mail and directory service for the NHS.
	The national programme has also delivered the quality management and analysis system (QMAS), which supports the quality and outcomes framework (QOF) of the new general medical services contract for general practitioners. One hundred per cent of GP practices are now using the QMAS system, which provides GP practices with evidence and feedback on the quality of care they deliver. In addition, the delivery of new software to support payment by results is on schedule to be implemented in June 2005. The secondary uses service that will hold anonymised and pseudonymised patient information for research, trend analysis and public health monitoring will be started by the payment by results software, but will be added to in October 2005. All this represents very encouraging progress towards the target of completion of full integration of health and social care systems in England by 2010.
	There have been some delays to deployments, but these are not significant in the context of a 10-year programme and the delays are more than displaced by the additional projects such as QMAS, QOF, "Contact" and N3 which have been delivered. We have always said that NPfIT deployment plans are subject to regular update and revision, and will always need to take account of the NHS's readiness to receive new systems. While the task is not without challenges, these are being overcome through increasing NHS managerial and clinical involvement backed up by active performance management.

NHS Foundation Trusts: Accommodation for Patients

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Warner on 14 March (WA 121), whether they will now report the outcome of the collation of reports in respect of single-sex and related accommodation standards by NHS foundation trusts and NHS trusts; and, if they are not yet able to do so, whether they will give a date by which such a report will be made.

Lord Warner: The data have been published today.

NHS: Amputations

Lord Brightman: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On how many occasions during the past five years or other appropriate period there has been an instance in the National Health Service where the wrong limb has been amputated instead of the limb intended; and
	Whether they have considered issuing advice in order to minimise the risk of mistaken amputations.

Lord Warner: The Department of Health does not routinely collect this information centrally.
	However, the Government are concerned about National Health Service patients affected by adverse events, including instances in the NHS where the wrong limb has been amputated instead of the limb intended. It established the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) in July 2001 to improve the safety of NHS patient care by promoting an open and fair culture and by introducing a national reporting and learning system for adverse events. This system is now in place across the NHS. The reporting and learning system will, in time, enable us to understand the nature and extent of adverse incidents, including instances in the NHS where the wrong limb has been amputated instead of the limb intended, and take further action to prevent them being repeated where appropriate.
	On 2 March 2005, the NPSA and the Royal College of Surgeons of England jointly launched new advice to the NHS to help make surgery safer in the form of a patient safety alert. The recommendations in the alert promoting "correct site surgery" encourage a consistent approach to marking the patient for surgery and provide staff with a checklist to ensure important steps have been taken to protect the patient.

General Practitioners: Treatment of Skin Lesions

Lord McColl of Dulwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether general practitioners have been adequately equipped to diagnose and treat skin lesions such as actinic keratosis; and whether they plan to change the present situation.

Lord Warner: The Government do not specify the content of the general practitioner training curriculum. This is the job of the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice (JCPTGP), which is the competent authority for general practice training in the United Kingdom. The JCPTGP is an independent body, and it is required by Section 9(3) of the Vocational Training Regulations 1997 to determine and publish the curriculum to be followed by a GP registrar (that is a trainee GP).
	The regulations specify seven competencies which must be tested, and which the curriculum must therefore teach:
	Factual medical knowledge sufficient to enable the doctor to perform the duties of a GP;
	The ability to apply factual medical knowledge to the management of problems presented by patients in general practice;
	Effective communication, both orally and in writing;
	The ability to consult satisfactorily with general practice patients;
	The ability to review and critically analyse the practitioner's own working practices and to manage any necessary changes appropriately;
	Clinical skills; and
	The ability to synthesise all of the above competencies and apply them appropriately in a general practice setting.
	It is therefore the responsibility of the JCPTGP to assess the training needs to equip general practitioners adequately to diagnose and treat skin lesions and adapt postgraduate general practitioner training accordingly.

Rights of Way Review Committee

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What their plans are for the future work of the Rights of Way Review Committee.

Lord Bach: The Rights of Way Review Committee is an independent group made up of representatives of key organisations with an interest in public rights of way. The committee has traditionally been chaired by a Member of Parliament but the committee's programme of work is not determined by the Member of Parliament or any government department.
	It is expected that the committee will continue to advise the Government on matters relating to Part II of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, and other legislative and procedural matters relating to rights of way, including those in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill. The committee secretariat is funded by the Countryside Agency and the current contract runs to March 2007.

Cambridge-St Ives Guided Busway

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the recently announced upgrade of the A14 by the Highways Agency alters the case for the guided busway between Cambridge and St Ives.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Highways Agency has recently launched a public consultation on the route for the proposed A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton improvement scheme. Improvements to this section of the A14 were recommended by the Cambridge to Huntingdon multi-modal study as part of a package of transport improvements which included a guided bus scheme between Cambridge and St Ives. The case for this scheme is unaltered by the Highways Agency's proposed improvements to the A14.

Crossrail Bill

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the hybrid Bill procedure for the Crossrail Bill is fully compatible with the European Union Directives on Environmental Impact Assessments 85/337/EC, 97/11/EC and 2003/35/EC in respect of:
	(a) the implied terms of the exemption in Article 1(5) for projects authorised by a specific act of national legislation, as interpreted by the European Court of Justice;
	(b) the requirements of Article 6 (consultation with statutory authorities and the public), Article 8 (consideration of responses) and Article 9 (reasons for decisions); and
	(c) the public consultation exercise now being undertaken by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the draft Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2005, required in order to implement European Union Directive 2003/35/EC on public participation in decision-making.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Crossrail hybrid Bill is being managed with the advice of Parliamentary Agent and Counsel, in consultation with House authorities, taking full account of requirements of the Directives. This includes ECJ judgements on the requirements to be met for Article 1(5) to apply. The Bill management measures being taken are not limited to meeting the requirements of Standing Orders. Additional measures being taken include:
	(i) the current public consultation on the Environmental Statement, with the deadline for comments prior to Second Reading now extended to 10 June;
	(ii) the use of Commons Third Reading as an additional opportunity to consider public comments on the Environmental Statement; and
	(iii) the provision at a suitable stage during the Bill process of the reasons for decisions.
	The hybrid Bill process as a whole, including these additional measures, provides public participation in decision making.

Railways: Stourbridge

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether all the paperwork that has been required by the authorities before the Parry People Mover Number 12 is approved to operate on the Stourbridge town branch is necessary.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Approval of the experimental ultra-light rail vehicle to run on the Stourbridge branch is a matter for Network Rail, the Health and Safety Executive and the Office of Rail Regulation. It is the case that the process followed was lengthy and on reflection could have been shortened, but one should recall that the vehicle involved new and innovative technology and it was necessary for all parties to satisfy themselves that the operational integrity of the rail network and the safety of both the public and the staff of the train operator would be assured.

Sport: National Infrastructure Fund

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the proposal for a national infrastructure fund, as set out in the report by Lord Carter of Coles entitled Review of National Sport and Effort Resources, is to be implemented; and, if so, when it will be fully operational.

Lord Davies of Oldham: No decision has yet been taken on the proposal set out by Lord Carter for a national infrastructure fund.

Sport: Participation of Asian Women

Lord Pendry: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they are taking to increase participation in sport among Asian women.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has a public service agreement target to increase, by 2008, the take-up of cultural and sporting opportunities by people aged 16 and above from priority groups. Women and people from black or minority ethnic groups are included in these priority groups. These targets are a key part of the department's funding agreement with Sport England.
	The equality standard for sport, launched last year, is a framework to guide sports and community organisations towards achieving equality. Its aim is to widen access and increase the participation and involvement in sport and physical activity from under-represented individuals, groups, and communities. It will assist organisations in developing structures and processes, assessing performance, and ensuring continuous improvement in equality. Progress through the standard is a mandatory condition within the national funding agreements involving Sport England, national governing bodies of sport, and national and regional sports organisations in England.
	Sport England has a number of projects and programmes aimed specifically at encouraging participation in sport and physical activity for Asian women. One example is the Horton Grange Women's Physical Activity Project in Bradford. This project, supported by the Bradford Sport Action Zone, the Council for Mosques and local partners, aims to increase participation and raise awareness of healthy lifestyle choices for Asian women with particularly complex health and weight problems.

Sport England: Sports Facilities Database

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they plan to add information on location of amateur sports clubs to Sport England's sports facilities database.

Lord Davies of Oldham: "Active Places" is a free to use, comprehensive on-line database of sports facilities in England. It was developed as a database of sports facilities, rather than a register of the location of sports clubs.
	While there are no plans at the moment to add the location of amateur sports clubs to the "Active Places" database, the system is designed to enable other organisations to link data to it. Sport England is in discussion with a number of companies who hold, or are in the process of compiling a sports club database, with a view to linking that information to "Active Places".
	The "Active Places" database can be found on www.activeplaces.com.

Sport: Information Service

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the working relationship between the initiative "Sport Direct" and (a) the Department for Culture, Media and Sport; (b) Sport England; and (c) local authorities.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government are working with Sport England to develop proposals for "Sport Direct", a new information service which would establish a single portal for sport so that people can find out what is on offer in their local area. The Government will consult with a range of stakeholders, including other government departments, national agencies and local authorities, in developing those proposals.

Schools: Physical Education

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What percentage of children who receive two hours of physical education per week (the National Curriculum target) attend schools which are not part of a school sport partnership.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The information requested is not held centrally for all pupils. The annual PE, school sport and club links survey collects data from schools which are within a School Sport Partnership. By 2006, all maintained schools will be within a partnership.
	The 2003–04 survey of the 34 per cent of schools then in school sport partnerships found that overall 62 per cent of pupils were spending two hours in a typical week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum. The 2004–05 survey which will report on the 54 per cent of schools now within the network of partnerships is now underway and the results will be published later this year.

Roads: Abnormal Loads

Lord Mason of Barnsley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many wide load escort agencies are able to operate on the motorways without a police escort; and under which regulations they are permitted to do so.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The exact number is not known because there is no specific requirement to register an abnormal load escort company. Abnormal load escorts can operate on motorways and other roads under a voluntary code of practice published by the Highways Agency, endorsed by the police and the haulage industry. There are 106 escort companies currently listed in the Escort Services Directory published by the Road Haulage Association. There will also be some companies operating that are not listed.

Roads: Bypass Schemes

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many bypasses have been completed in each year since January 1999.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Highways Agency trunk road and local authority bypass schemes that have been completed since 1999 are listed in the following table:
	
		
			 Year Scheme 
			 1999 A350 Chippenham western bypass 
			  A30/A35 Puddleton bypass 
			  A564 Derby Southern bypass contract B 
			  A289 Gillingham northern relief road 
			 2000 Rainworth bypass 
			 2001 A174 Skelton and Brotton bypass 
			  Burntwood Bypass phase 1 and 2,   Staffordshire 
			 2002 A143 Broome-Ellingham 
			  A131 Great Leighs 
			  A6023 Denaby main diversion 
			  A511 Ashby bypass 
			  A27 Polegate bypass 
			  A43 Silverstone bypass 
			  A6 Clapham bypass 
			  A66 Stainburn and Great Clifton bypass 
			  Wyre Piddle bypass, Worcestershire 
			 2003 A350 Semington - Melksham diversion 
			  Barnsley Coalfields link road (aka Shafton   bypass) 
			  A6 Great Glen bypass 
			  A53 Hodnett bypass 
			  A5 Nesscliffe bypass 
			  A500 Basford, Hough and Shavington   bypass 
			  A6 Rothwell-Desborough bypass 
			  A6 Rushden and Higham Ferrers bypass 
			  A6 Alvaston bypass 
			  A650 Bingley relief road 
			  A4146 Stoke Hammond and Linslade   bypass (northern section) 
			  South Thames Development Route 
			  A41 Aston Clinton bypass 
			  A527 Biddulph inner bypass 
			 2004 St Clements Way, Thurrock (aka West   Thurrock Marshes relief road) 
			  A607 Rearsby bypass 
			  Mansfield Ashfield regeneration route 
			  A63 Selby Bypass 
			  A10 Wadesmill Colliers End 
			 2005 A167 Chilton bypass 
			  A21 Lamberhurst bypass

Roads: Accidents

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	For each of past 10 years, how many people have been killed on the motorway network; and what are the 10 most common causes of such accidents; and
	For each of past 10 years, how many people have been seriously injured on the motorway network; and what are the 10 most common causes of such accidents.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The numbers of road users killed or seriously injured in reported road accidents on the motorway network in Great Britain in the years 1994 to 2003 are shown in the table below.
	
		Fatal and serious casualties on the motorway network: GB 1994 to 2003
		
			  1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
			 Killed 157 180 165 191 174 202 189 203 224 217 
			 Serious 1,358 1,333 1,298 1,422 1,301 1,385 1,401 1,404 1,283 1,234 
		
	
	Routine statistics do not record the primary cause of a road accident. Starting in January 2005, information has been collected on the factors that contributed to road accidents. Results are not yet available. Under an earlier pilot scheme, 14 police forces have provided information on contributory factors. Up to four contributory factors could be coded for each accident. The contributory factor data are based on the opinions of police officers. In the case of accidents reported by a member of the public at a police station, these factors have to be determined from their description of the accident. A table showing the 10 most recorded contributory factors to injury road accidents on motorways is shown below.
	
		Percentage of motorway accidents 1  where each contributory factor was identified: 1999–2003
		
			  Fatal Serious 
			 Failed to judge other person's path or speed 16 23 
			 Inattention 21 23 
			 Lack of judgment of own path 18 17 
			 Excessive speed 14 16 
			 Careless/thoughtless/reckless 15 14 
			 Impairment—fatigue 17 13 
			 Following too close 3 10 
			 Looked but didn't see 6 8 
			 Failed to look 4 6 
			 Slippery road 3 6 
		
	
	1 Percentage of motorway accidents where at least one contributory factor had been assigned. Any single accident can have up to four factors assigned to it, therefore percentages may sum to more than 100.

Roadworks

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is latest financial estimate for the construction of the following road works:
	(a) widening of the M1 through the East Midlands;
	(b) A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton improvement;
	(c) A453 M1-Nottingham; and
	(d) upgrading of the A30/A303 (London to south-west).

Lord Davies of Oldham: The approved budget for (a) widening of the M1 between junctions 21 and 30 through the East Midlands is £1,915 million, (b) A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton improvement is £490 million, (c) the A453 widening (M1 junction 24 to A52 Nottingham) is £90 million, and the estimated cost of (d) upgrading of the A30/A303 (London to south-west) is £1,042 million.

Alcohol-related Crime

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Following the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit estimate of the 2002 costs at "up to £7.3 billion", what assessment they have made of the cost of alcohol-related crime and public disorder in 2003 and 2004; and whether they will place updated versions of the graphics on pages 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22 of the unit's interim analytical report in the Library of the House.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The 2002 figures are the latest costings by government on the cost of alcohol related crime and public disorder.
	The costings cited in the strategy unit's interim analytical report are from a background paper produced by the unit on the costs of alcohol-related harm. The paper, Alcohol misuse; how much does it cost?, draws on a wide range of data sources and is available on the strategy unit web-site at www.strategy.gov.uk. The background papers can be found at www.strategy.gov.uk/work–areas/alcohol–misuse/background.asp. Copies of the background papers and report are available in the Library.
	The Home Office and the Department of Health are jointly taking forward the recommendations in the report.

Civil Service: Secondments

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many civil servants are currently on secondment to McKinsey and Company Incorporated; and what position is held within the organisation by each individual.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The information requested is not held centrally. Secondments for civil servants are arranged by individual departments and agencies.